1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in dental equipment, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a combined amalgam carrier and plugger tool for dental use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The usual method in widespread use today for filling a tooth cavity with amalgam, or the like, comprises placing a preselected quantity of silver and mercury in a suitable vessel or container for mixing thereof to produce the amalgam. A carrier tool is then filled with a charge of the amalgam and hand carried to the cavity for depositing the amalgam therein. Subsequent to placing a charge of amalgam in the tooth cavity, a second hand tool commonly known as a plugger, is utilized for compacting or packing the amalgam into the cavity. It is usually necessary to place a plurality of amalgam charges in the cavity, with a plugging operation subsequent to the placing of each amalgam charge in the cavity. In the event the cavity is relatively large, it is frequently necessary to refill the carrier tool with an additional supply of amalgam. Thus, the filling of a tooth cavity becomes tedious and time consuming in that the mixing of the components of the amalgam and cleaning of the mixing equipment is time consuming, and the use of two separate instruments for placing the amalgam in the cavity and for tamping or packing the amalgam into the cavity is cumbersome and inefficient.